Elemental Ways: Part 2
by Porcelain Destiny
Summary: Kayla manages to find a home at the school. When Magneto shows up with different ideas, the battle's on. Set after the third move. Please R&R! ]


I do not own the X-Men or any part of the Marvel Comics. I did create Kayla however and would appreciate the use of her character to be told to me beforehand.

This is the sequel to Elemental Ways. Please R&R that before continuing!

Rogue felt a hand rest on hers. She fought against the darkness, wishing to see whoever it was visiting her. She was sick of floating in a pool of memories and darkness. She remembered Kayla and…and that was it. She had spent so long in memories that she couldn't sort them out. They had all melted into one big blur. Logan.

She bolted up, wires and needles pulling at her skin. Her vision was blurry and foggy. She was out of breath, just from sitting up. She flopped back down onto the pillows. She blinked until her vision cleared. A woman with white hair stood over her, tears sliding down her brown cheeks.

"Rogue, you're okay," she whispered. Rogue looked at her. Flashes from long ago played across her mind but she got nothing from them. "Can you say something?" she asked. Rogue squinted at her for a moment.

"Who are you?"

Logan gunned the engine of his motorcycle, thankful for the fresh night air. It had been almost two weeks since Professor had come back; since he left. He had debated whether going back would be smart but he still hadn't come to a decision. He shook away his doubt and concentrated on the road. A sign welcoming him to Colorado came into view. A cross country trip would be nice. He hadn't realized how far he had gone. He slowed down a little, thinking about Kayla and Rogue. He had nearly killed them both. They were living proof that the school didn't need Professor.

"You hear that Professor?" he shouted into the wind. He laughed forcefully. "We don't need you!" he yelled. He looked up at the starry sky. Branches cracking in the surrounding forests startled him. He slowed to a stop. The kickstand was flicked down and Logan stepped off.

"Hello?" he called. "Somebody out there?" When no one answered, he cautiously got back on his bike and rode off.

"What do you want us to do? We can't simply move into the White House!" a mutant shouted. Pyro leaned on the wall, hidden in shadow. He watched Magneto, his idol and mentor, struggle to regain the trust of his brethren.

"Why not? You all watched my attempt at Liberty Island and Alcatraz. The only reason they were foiled was because of the X-Men. When the X-Men are weak, we move. They won't attack the humans."

"But each time you moved, you thought there was no way they could stop you. What's different this time?"

"The president of the United States. He has the famed X-gene. He has been using the cure for a long time now." The crowd murmured. Magneto took his moment. Rousing public speeches were what he was good at but getting back on top was another story. "An inner source has explained this information. We should use it to our advantage."

"By exposing him? They'll dismiss it as conspiracy!"

"No, by taking him hostage and holding it over his head if he doesn't meet our demands," Pyro said. He stepped from the shadows and went to Magneto's side. The crowd hushed in respect. He felt a swell of pride. He continued speaking, afraid his once shattered courage wouldn't break now.

"The X-Men were dismantled when they tried to stop Kayla. Without her or Jean, they are nothing. They never will be either!" he shouted. The crowd cheered. Magneto clapped him on the back. He wasn't sure whether to be proud of Pyro or to be worried. He let the feelings go, imagining Pyro as his son for so long only granted him pride. Pyro smiled. He'd finally done it. He'd finally made a name for himself and earned the equality of Magneto.

"Now, who will take the country?" Magneto shouted.

"We will!" the crowd cheered.

Rogue settled into bed. The woman named Storm entered the room holding a tray. She smiled weakly. Rogue couldn't help but feel as if she had failed this woman.

"Professor thinks you've got amnesia from Kayla's powers. Do you remember her?" she asked in a shaky voice. She pulled a table from the corner and put the tray down.

"Is she okay?" Rogue asked. She motioned to the girl across the room with wires and cords coming out from underneath the blanket. She was asleep. "That's Kayla, isn't it?" Storm nodded.

"Yes, we hope so. She's been gone just as long as you have but she hasn't shown as much progress. _Progress. He hasn't shown much progress. The anesthetic is wearing off. He'll wake up and he could kill us all._

"Where's Logan?" Rogue asked suddenly. Storm looked surprised.

"He—he left, why?"

"I just need to know. Where is he?"

"Not sure. But he'll come back. He always does. He'll want to know if you're okay. Do you remember Logan?" she asked slowly. Rogue nodded, hearing his voice in her head. He was speaking to her and only her. She closed her eyes and listened to him. He was speaking about controlling her powers He was urging her to let them help her.

"What happened to her? The night you were trying to save her," Rogue whispered.

"You used her energy to fix everything she did. Do you remember your power?" Power. She felt a rush of power that night. Storm watched a spark in Rogue's eyes.

"I take people's power," she whispered, disgusted with herself. "And I took hers. That's how she almost died. That's how I almost killed Logan too. Where's Professor?" she blurted. She didn't wait for Storm to answer her. She threw herself out of bed and raced down the hall. Her legs shook and she gasped for air but she pushed on. She raced through the school, her feet finding the way to his office.

"Professor! Read my mind! Please!" she breathed. Professor turned slowly in his chair. He was a younger looking man with thinning gray hair and green eyes. This wasn't Professor. "Who are you? Where's Professor?"

"Rogue, I am Professor. It took many months for me to do this but I am here. I'm back." He stood slowly and shook her hand. She looked at him warily.

"What am I thinking right now?" she asked. She thought about her boyfriend back home. The man smiled and laughed just like Professor.

"Your boyfriend. Do you want to test me more?" he chuckled. She shook her head, plopping herself down in a chair in front of his desk.

"Read my mind, please, I'm begging you," she said. He perched himself on the edge of his desk.

"You know that the mind heals when it wants to."

"No, I think Logan's in danger. It has nothing to do with my memory. Please!" she said. She was beginning to lose patience. He paused, seeing her distress. He nodded and placed his hands at her temples. She gasped and closed her eyes as memories flashed behind her eyelids. Then, the memories faded and they were replaced with something else. It was nothing either one of them had seen. Logan was being tortured in some sort of cave. He was screaming. A flash of red hair and red visors made them both pull away.

"Logan," they said together. Storm burst into the office; a sickly look of shock on her face.

"Kayla's awake."

Logan pulled into the shoulder. Something was wrong. A car had been following him for sometime. He had slowed a number of times, giving the car room to pass, but each time the car had stayed behind him. He waited for the car to drive by him but to his dismay the car pulled over. He felt the metal under his knuckles pierce the skin the slightest bit. He put the kickstand down and climbed slowly off his bike. He pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket and lit it. He turned towards the mountain and blew smoke up. The car's door slammed.

"Are you lost, sir?" the person asked. He flicked a flashlight on and shined it into Logan's face. Logan's hand flew up to his eyes. He took a drag on his cigar and puffed.

"No, I'm just wandering. Are you?" he said. He couldn't see the person past the flashlight. They planned that. Suddenly, Logan lunged at the person, claws out. The person didn't see it coming and was on the ground. Logan held a claw to their throat. "What do you want?" The person clicked the flashlight and held his breath. A noxious gas filled the space between them. Logan coughed and backed up. He'd smelled this before. He staggered towards his bike but collapsed in a heap before he could get there. He wasn't out yet. He felt the person grab his arms and drag him to their car. He was placed on the backseat.

"What's going on?" he slurred. Nothing worked. He could barely blink. The person didn't answer; simply got into the car and drove off.

Kayla blinked. She looked at the white tile ceiling, counting the panels to avoid looking at the person in the room. Pain shuttered through her as someone gently stroked her hair. No one had ever touched her like that. She let a tear slide down her cheek. Then she turned her head.

"How are you feeling?" an elderly man asked. His voice rang in her ears. That was him, the man who had spoken to her without being seen.

"Kayla, you're alright. You're okay!" someone cried. Storm appeared next to the man. Kayla smiled at seeing her. She could barely remember her. It was just a face, a voice from a distant past. Storm patted her hand and kissed her forehead. She wasn't as—thin and worn out as she was last time.

"What happened?" she whispered softly.

"A lot; more than needs to be explained now. You need your rest. Would you like to stretch your legs?" the man said. She nodded. They helped her out of bed. She slowly made her way out the door, followed by Storm and Professor.

"Do you remember anything?" the man asked. Kayla thought. She could remember Victor and coming to the school. She remembered running away and seeing Victor again. But that was it.

"Victor and the school," she whispered. "And running away. Victor was there," she said a little reluctantly. "That's all."

"Well, after that you were being controlled by Pyro. He's one of Magneto's followers. You were sent to Alcatraz to free all the mutants. Then Rogue tried to save you—,"

"Where is she?" Kayla interrupted.

"I think she's talking to Bobby."

Kayla picked up the pace and jogged ahead of the man. She turned a corner, then another and stopped outside of a closed door. She gasped for air, listening inside. She heard muffled voices followed by a sob. She decided to wait until she came out.

"Rogue," she said banging on the door after an hour. She had heard a good share of what was going on inside and she didn't want to hear anymore.

"Kayla?" she heard. Rogue opened the door, her face flushed. "Kayla!" Rogue threw herself on Kayla, happy tears springing to her eyes.

"What happened?" Kayla said. She pulled away from Rogue's embrace.

"On the island, I had to take your power. But I didn't want to, I swear," she said hastily. "Whatever happened between us, it worked!" I can touch people and nothing will happen. It only happens when I want it to."

"No, to Logan. I know what you saw, it woke me up. Where is he?"

"They don't know."

"Well, we need to find him. He's in danger."

Logan forced himself to blink. Everything was lead, he could barely breathe. The person in the car had covered the backseat windows. He strained his ears, hoping to get some kind of hint. Nothing. The car had stopped. Mentally, his body tensed. Physically, he was dragged by someone down a tunnel. The air became musky and dank. There was water seeping into his clothes. He was heading downwards into some kind of cave.

The person grunted under his weight and several others came to his aid. Logan was hoisted up and onto a table. The gas was beginning to wear off. He opened his eyes more. It was dark. He heard a sickly bubbling sound near his head. The people appeared above him and sprayed more gas. His eyelids quickly closed. He heard banging and the scraping of metal.

Several needles poked his skin in various parts. His shirt found its way off. Suddenly, blood rushed to his ears. He knew what was going on. He fought against the drugs, pulling the needles and stumbling off the table. He realized his pants were off also. He stumbled towards the light of what he hoped was the doorway. He felt the blades slide from his knuckles. He screamed in pain. He stumbled out into the snow. A wash of memories trickled into his brain at first soon becoming a downpour. Stryker's voice sang clear in his head. It was happening again. They were trying to finish the project. He had to get away. He forced himself through the snow. He heard yelling behind him. They were going to come after him. He shoved the claws through his fists. Everything seemed to hurt ten times more than usual. He mentally called the Professor but no one responded. He was alone. A person cut in front of him, blocking his path. He swung at them, missing by a mile.

He thought for a minute he could hear Scott's voice, a faint tickle in his eardrum. Then, he heard it again, louder this time. He stumbled forward, crashing into the person. They caught him and managed to pull him up. The people behind them shouted and yelled for them to stop, but they managed to get away. Maybe Scott was here. Maybe everything would be okay. Maybe he wasn't alone.

Kayla lay in bed that night, her muscles thankful for the rest. Rogue was back in the ward, sleeping fitfully. She looked like she was having a nice dream. But Kayla couldn't sleep. She was too worried about Logan. All through her slumber, she had heard his voice, egging her on, to push through the dark waters of her mind and into the light again. _But, _she thought, _he left. _He wasn't there. He couldn't have been helping her. So who was it?

Suddenly, the door clicked open. Kayla closed her eyes quickly, rolling so her back was to the door. She heard a rustle of cloth as someone sat down. She listened to them sigh. A shadow passed over her. She squeezed her eyes tighter.

"I didn't even get to see you. Looking for Logan is worthless. He's gone, why doesn't Professor see that?" the person said. She recognized the voice; she just couldn't place a face. "I wish I could see your face. I just want a look," he said longingly. She had to refrain from popping out of bed and screaming "Here look! Here's my face!" But instead, she waited until the person settled into a chair and was snoring softly. She sat up slowly and looked at the person. She gasped quietly, surprised to see a chiseled face, showered with blonde hair and white feathery wings. She hadn't remembered Warren looking so amazingly, well, sexy.

And his voice had changed. It was deep enough to be mistaken for Logan's. She realized that he wasn't the one talking to her, it had been Warren. She found herself climbing out of bed, and tiptoeing over to him. He was like a fallen angel, lost on earth.

"Warren," she whispered. His wings moved slightly. "Warren," she tried again. He still didn't move. She looked at his lips, wondering if everything he'd ever spoken to her meant anything. She brushed his long hair away from his face. His eyes opened.

"Kayla!" he said. He stood immediately and hugged her. She smiled despite her lack of oxygen. "You're awake! I didn't wake you did I?" he said apologetically. She shook her head.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"

"Helping me through the dark. And looking for Logan isn't useless. We'll find him. Why did you want to see my face?" she asked. He held her at arms length, studying her face. She felt a tingle pass through her as his crystal blue eyes twinkled, even in the dim light.

"Because it's beautiful," he whispered. She giggled. For some reason, she wanted to play with his hair and feel the softness of his wings. She'd never felt that way about anyone. Ever. Rogue muttered in her sleep. Both of them looked at each other and tiptoed out of the room.

"How long was I gone?" she asked in the moonlit hallway.

"About two weeks. Logan left almost immediately after, well, what happened. Do you remember anything I was saying to you?"

"No, just your voice," she said. She felt a tingle pass through her.

"Good," he smiled. "Come on, I know somewhere we can go," he said. They snuck out the double French doors and onto the dew-covered grass. Kayla shivered.

"What are we doing?" she whispered, feeling the need to be quiet.

"Flying," Warren said. He smiled mischievously. He swooped Kayla up. "Stand on my toes." She did as she was told. Warren beat his heavenly wings and upward they went. He shifted his feathers and they soared.

"It's cold up here!" Kayla said. She leaned into Warren. She felt comforted, like she hadn't been in a coma. Like Logan hadn't gone missing. "Aw," she gasped. Warren couldn't help but smile at her obvious delight. The New York City skyline came into view. He often perched on various skyscrapers when he needed time to think.

"Like it?" he asked. Kayla nodded, too overcome by her sudden feelings for Warren and the beauty of the city to speak.

Logan opened his eyes. He was sweating profusely. He could hear someone in the room but couldn't move enough to see. A wet washcloth hit his head. He groaned as pain set in. He didn't want to trust this person, whoever they were, no matter what they did. Things were too chaotic.

"Shh, it's alright. The gas made you sick but you're safe now," the person whispered. It was a woman's voice, one he had heard before. He sat up, despite his aching muscles.

"Mystique?" he asked. He squinted through his foggy vision to see the fiery orange hair and bright blue skin. She glided away from him, unsure whether his reaction was a good one. He strained to sit up and quickly fell back against the pillows. "How did you—I thought you were dead."

"Magneto left me on the truck after I took a bullet for him," she said, disgusted.

"How did you find me?" he asked, skeptical. She transformed into one of the guards that had chased him out into the snow. Logan felt his eyes getting heavy again. He slumped back down on the bed. Mystique moving to his side was his last sight.

"I've heard Logan," Professor stepped out of the newly-built Cerebro. "He's with someone I can't identify but he's safe. We'll have to wait until he comes back on his own."

"Good. At least he's safe," Storm replied. Hank nodded. Suddenly, Warren came sprinting down the hallway, his wings flattened against his back. He skidded to a stop in front of them and panted.

"Magneto's on the news. He's taken the president hostage!" They all exchanged glances before running upstairs.

Warren played the TiVo. They all watched in horror as Magneto sat down in front of the presidential logo used for press conferences.

"Hello fellow mutant and human beings. Your president has rightly stepped down from his position and passed his duties on to me," he began. He continued for a moment addressing certain minorities of the population. "And to those X-Men out there, don't bother to stop us. I now control the government. It would not be very wise to attack your president now would it?" The TV clicked off. Storm snatched the remote from Warren and rewound the TiVo.

"I can't believe this," she whispered.

"It's barbaric! The president giving up his title for a mutant after all his accusations! What are we suppose to do? The public will react of course!"

"The public won't know what to do."

"But we can't just let this go. It's the president!" Warren said. He could feel the doubt rising between them. He stormed from the room, running almost smack into Kayla and Rogue. Bobby was looming in the back with Peter.  
"What's going on?" Rogue asked. She wasn't wearing gloves.

"Magneto's taken the president hostage! And they don't plan on doing anything about it!" he replied, jerking his thumb towards the other room. Everyone's mouth fell.

"How did they find out?" Kayla asked. Her long hair was pulled away from her face; an obvious style since Rogue was sporting it too.

"Magneto broadcasted it. I don't really care what happens to the president but something's got to be done about Magneto!" Warren said. "They didn't know about the cure but now that he's out, they will!"

"And now they'll come with more problems and stronger weapons," Peter added.

"They won't attack him directly, especially if he's got the president," Bobby mentioned.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Rogue asked.

"We go in there ourselves," Warren said finally. Everyone seemed to back down a little. "Come on you guys, we've been outnumbered before. And this isn't what we're usually fighting for. It's the country this time, not humanity," Warren said, cracking a smile. He saw Kayla smiling at him. His heart swelled with pride and he pushed on. "And if Logan comes back, we'll get even more support. We can do this," he said. Kayla put her hand in the middle. He placed his on top of hers. The rest of the group followed.

"My brethren, we have taken the first steps to victory. Now, Mr. President, I have heard from a few sources that you are also a mutant. What is your gift?" Magneto said. He turned with a smile to the president, who was sitting in one of the advisor's chairs across the table. The president looked up. His eyes were sunken and showed defeat.

"What do you want with me?" he whispered.

"Just your loyalty, Mr. President," Magneto replied sweetly.

"Never," he quickly spat. "I don't know what you're planning but it won't last," he said bravely. Magneto smiled, sending chills down the president's spine.

"If you say so, Mr. President."

"Warren?" Kayla sat up. She'd felt something familiar in the room. She released a weak wave of energy. It was Bobby. "Bobby, what are you doing here?" she whispered.

"Advice," he muttered.

"That may not be my area of expertise," she said. She flicked the bedside lamp on. He sat at the foot of her bed. "Is it about Rogue?"

"She and Kitty aren't speaking to each other. Peter hates me because he likes Kitty and thinks I'm scamming on him. How can I help save the president if no one wants me on the team?" Kayla shifted into Professor.

"We're saving the president, not humanity," she said. She shifted back into herself. "Not everyone has to like you." He smiled. "Who do you want?"

"I love Rogue. But before I couldn't touch her. And now I can, which changes everything." He said slowly. Kayla blurred her face so it wasn't quite Rogue or Kitty.

"Touching their hearts is what matters, not their skin. Fine lines are the shapes we make them to be," she said. She pulled herself together.

"Thanks," Bobby whispered.

"Don't get used to it bub," she replied, in Logan's voice. They laughed. The doorknob suddenly turned.

"Hey, are you guys coming?" Peter stuck his head in the door. They followed him out of the room. It took them a long time to plan the details of this meeting. Warren had to pay one of the younger kids to complain of a stomachache (the kid could burp fire). They were to go to the upper story and onto the south balcony. Everyone was already there, sitting in their pajamas, waiting to begin.

"Sorry," Kayla muttered. Warren smiled at her before beginning.

"Alright, the status hasn't changed. There hasn't been anything on the news. I think we should talk to the President."

"How?" Bobby asked.

"Cerebro," he said simply. "And the source." A murmur ran through the cluster of students. A small boy with peach fuzz growing in appeared behind Warren. He felt a tingle pass through his wings as they shrunk into oblivion. Leech scooted to his side. He smiled at everyone. "Leech told me about his family."

"My dad wanted to keep his power a secret. But Worthington wanted to keep Warren a secret too," he said slowly. "So, my dad got the first test and when it worked, I was sent to the lab to live for more cures."

"So, your father, is president of the United States?" Rogue asked, astonished. He nodded. "And no one ever knew? How do you keep something like that a secret?"

"You don't. A lot of people knew me when I was a baby, but they assumed I went to boarding school or something. My powers not so noticeable," he replied, shrugging. Kayla stood up.

"We can't just walk into the White House, ya know. We need some sort of plan. Magneto's crazy, right?"

"Well, he's got his own priorities in mind," Bobby said. "She's right. We can't just walk in. I think we should give everyone a job, ya know, to let everyone do something."

"And we have to utilize everyone's power too. Kayla, I think, right now, you're our biggest asset. I mean, you've got more power than all of us," Kitty said. Kayla blushed.

"Alright, it's agreed. Everyone gets a job. I think everyone should hit the simulator at least once this week, to stay loose. Right now I think we should go to bed. That kid said an hour was his limit. No one can meet openly. This has got to stay a secret. And minds must stay clear. Professor would have no problem stepping in if something went wrong," Warren said. Everyone agreed, said goodnight, and headed off to bed. Kayla hung behind with Warren, as his wings sprouted and grew again.

"Do you think we can pull this off?" she asked him. They ambled slowly down the hall, headed for her room.

"Yea, I do. We have to, right?" She smiled.

"Do you think Logan's okay?"

"Yea, I do. He's strong and smart. He's probably on his way home right now," he said. Kayla squeezed his hand. They had arrived at her room. "Well, goodnight," he said. Kayla smiled. She pulled Warren into the room and out onto the balcony. Warren took her up onto the roof. She gently kissed him on the lips. Then, they lay together, staring up at the night sky, thinking their own thoughts.

Logan opened his eyes again to the sound of crickets. He felt a breeze on his face. He was in a car. He could see Mystique's worried expression as she clutched the wheel.

"Where are we going?" he croaked, worried they were headed for Magneto.

"A cross country trip. I have to take you back. There was something else in that gas. That's why you can hardly move." Logan began to object but Mystique put a hand on him in warning. "Go back to sleep, we'll be there by dawn."

"How long have we been driving?"

"Almost two days." He sat up slowly. But his muscles ached and he was too sleepy. Mystique looked in the backseat.

"Want to trade?" Scott asked. Mystique nodded, pulling into the shoulder on the road and quickly climbing out.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" she asked. Her voice shook. Scott looked at her through the rear-view mirror.

"You love him, don't you?"

"Alright, Kayla, all you have to do is focus on the president," Warren said. Kayla nodded and shifted into Professor. She walked into Cerebro and placed the helmet on. She thought of Logan. Her brain began to buzz. She dropped to her knees. It worked; she could hear Logan having a nightmare. She stood again, this time focusing on the president.

"Mr. President, do you hear me? Don't speak, just think," she thought.

"Yes, who is this?" he asked, as if it were a phone.

"I'm a friend of your son's. I need you to explain to me how Magneto is guarding the place," Kayla said. She could hear someone knocking in the distance. She quickly assured the president help was coming and took the helmet off. She let out energy to see who was outside. It was Hank.

"Kayla, what are you doing? You shouldn't be messing with Cerebro. It's not a toy." Warren and the rest of the gang were standing to the side, ashamed looks on their faces.

"I was looking for Professor when the door shut. I had to figure out how to open it," she lied quickly.

"Professor is in his office with a class. If it's that important, I don't think he would mid if we interrupted," Hank replied, eyeing her. She shook her head. "Alright, well, you all should be upstairs." Kayla joined the rest of her friends and hurried upstairs.

"Did you get anything?" Kitty asked, once they were out of earshot of Hank. She had really warmed up to her, especially after she'd helped with Bobby and Rogue.

"Yea, he showed me the layout. How are you and Peter doing?" Kayla remarked. Kitty stopped waving to him and blushed. She cleared her throat nervously and Kayla laughed.

"Do you think we can pull this off?" she whispered. Kayla stopped her and grabbed her hands. She looked her hard in the eyes.

"Yes. How many times must I assure you guys this? We can do this," she said. She gave her hands a squeeze and dropped them. They caught up with the rest of the group.

Mystique banged on the heavy oak doors, later that night, shuttering in the rain. She had a feeling they would turn her down. She wished she had carried Logan up here with her. _They'll never believe me, _she thought. She knocked again. Footsteps could be heard running downstairs.

"I'm coming!" someone yelled. It was Storm. Mystique itched to hide herself. Knocking on her former enemy's door was not high on her priority list but it was to save Logan. She had to. She stood her ground when Storm opened the door. Her cheerful expression changed from just that to a sickly look. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice dripping with malice. Her eyes began to form white clouds. Mystique looked back towards the car. Storm followed her gaze. She could see Logan in the front seat, sleeping.

"Oh my God, Logan," she whispered. Storm disappeared back inside the mansion and returned with Hank and Professor. Mystique moved to let them pass but she didn't help them. She was unable to help them. They were saving their friend's life, not worrying about her feelings towards him. She went to leave them alone when a voice whispered in her ear.

"How did you find him?" he said. It was Professor.

"What does it matter?" she asked.

"Because you saved his life. Don't go," he answered.

"I am not wanted here," she said.

"If you are not wanted it is because you're needed," Professor said. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She hadn't realized he was that close. She turned to look at him. This wasn't the Professor she remembered. This was a younger looking man, with green eyes. He was tall and, she noted, walking. But his eyes held the same wisdom and knowledge that only Professor Xavier could possess. She followed him inside. Storm and Hank managed to get Logan in the house.

"What happened to him?" Hank asked.

"He was given toxic gas. Stryker's colleagues have teamed up and decided to finish the Weapon X project. They needed him," Mystique said.

"How do you know all this? Professor, how can we trust her?" Storm asked. Everyone exchanged glances.

"We will just have to, Storm. Logan's life is on the line, so for now, I suggest we focus on that," he replied. Logan moaned. He opened his eyes. Everyone crowded around him.

"Professor?" he asked weakly. Professor smiled. "Storm?" Storm smiled. "How did I get here?" he said. He strained to sit up. "It's the project; they're trying to finish it," he blurted.

"We know, Logan. But you're safe now, why don't you get some sleep? We can get you downstairs and taken care of," Professor said. Logan eyed him, as if he was mentally weighing his options.

"I didn't want to come back. You should have let me die!" he shouted. He stood and whirled on Mystique. "Where's Scott, I know he's with you. Did you turn him in too? Tell them where to find his body so that they could bring him back to life or something?"

"Logan, what are you talking about? Scott's dead," Storm said, her voice cracking. Logan shook his head.

"I saw him, I swear I did," he replied sharply. He approached Mystique. She stood her ground. "YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LET ME DIE IN THE GODDAMN WOODS! THEY WANTED A LAB RAT AND I WAS FIRST IN LINE! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" he shouted. He whirled on all of them, claws out. "Let's go, come on. I'm not going to be allowed to leave, so I'll fight my way to the door," he said. He glanced over their shoulders and studied the heavy wooden door. He panted, hoping his legs would hold him up long enough to get there. He smiled mischievously. Mystique approached him slowly. She was not one for words but this seemed the right time.

"You don't mean any of that. Think of all the people who would miss you," she whispered. "Rogue, Storm, Hank, Professor, Bobby," she ticked off the names on her fingers. "And no one would be able to have as much fun with Magneto as you do," she said coyly. "No one would be able to annoy Magneto, or bug him, or play with his emotions," she said. Logan watched her walk in a slow circle around him, eyes ablaze.

"Who gives a damn about Magneto? Without me, he'd have a little easier time taking over the world," he spat back. Mystique laughed.

"Yes, that is true. But who else will be able to avenge Jean? Hmm?" she asked. She raised an eyebrow. She made to tick off one of her fingers. "Oops, I forgot, no one. No one will be able to avenge Jean, or your memories, or the countless things you've forgotten," she said. His claws slowly slipped back in. Suddenly, his eyes rolled up into his head and he crumpled to the floor. She rushed to catch him, cradling his head in her lap. He began convulsing, vomiting on himself. Storm screamed. Professor quickly closed his eyes. Hank ran and helped Mystique. Professor bent down next to Logan and began whispering in his ear.

"Logan, Logan, listen to me, I know you're in there. You are not going to die like this. Mystique is right. No one will be able to bring back your memories but you. You have to be able to remember those horrible things that Stryker did to you. You need to remember those things he helped you forget. You need to remember Rogue and Bobby and Jean and Scott, Logan. Even Kayla," he whispered. Storm caught on quickly and began to speak to him, tears streaming down her face. He spat up again. Hank ran and got a towel. He swabbed out the inside of his mouth. Finally, the convulsions slowed and stopped. He was sweating and panting. Everyone looked at each other, then at Logan, lying in Mystique's lap. Kayla, Warren, Kitty, Bobby, and Peter all exchanged glances on the stairs. Their strongest support system had just had a seizure in the living room. What else could go wrong?

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Everyone turned, too afraid to move from where they stood. Time was standing still. Finally, Logan coughed, breaking the spell. Hank jumped up to get the door, assuring everyone things would be okay. He opened the door and let out a gasp. Everyone turned to see who it was. Scott stood there, eyes squinted shut, with a bag in one hand, and a cane in the other.

"Umm, you have vacancies?" he asked, cracking a smile.

"Kayla, it's over. Logan was our only hope to convince everyone else. We can't save the president like this," Kitty said. Peter hugged her.

"No, I don't think it's over. It can't be. We can't just let the president die like that!" she said. The boys were quiet.

"What the heck is wrong with you guys? No one has said a word all day!" Rogue asked. She rubbed Bobby's back. Kayla slipped over to Warren's side and cocked her head.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He turned away.

"It's Logan. We overheard everybody talking and they don't think he'll make it. This is part of the reason he couldn't remember things after Stryker got hold of him. It's that gas they gave him," Warren answered grimly. Kayla gasped.

"But he has to! He can't die!" she sobbed. Rogue couldn't help but feel a twang of jealously. She was supposed to be Logan's friend, not Kayla. But when she looked over to Kayla again, she saw her crying into Warren's shoulder. Her jealously dissipated and was replaced with sympathy. Logan and Warren were the only people she had to love. Rogue felt certain she could share Logan.

"He won't die. You can't kill him," Rogue finally said. "And Scott's here. I mean, what kind of hope do you guys want? An angel, 'cause we already have Warren. And a beast? Yea, we've got Hank and Peter. What other signs do you need?" she said. Everyone's face seemed to flush. Rogue turned around to see Hank standing behind her.

"Hi Hank," she muttered. Hank smiled and placed his hands on his hips.

"Logan isn't going to die. And what's this nonsense about needing signs?" he asked. He read the other kids' faces. "You all want to save the president don't you?" he asked. No one replied. Kayla sniffled.

"No, Hank, really. The boys were just worried about Logan. And they were explaining why it was so surprising that Scott had come back," Kayla said. Hank raised an eyebrow. She backed down, looking at the ground. Hank turned to the rest of them.

"Anyone else care to explain?" he asked. No one answered. "I'm sure Professor would like to know about it," he said. He turned to leave. Everyone shouted in unison for him to stay. He turned again and smiled.

"Alright! We were going to, yes, yes. But we were hoping Logan would convince the rest of you guys, and with him gone, well, that's all we got," Warren said. "Leech was going to help us too."

"And I still am," he said. He stepped from behind Hank. Hank laughed.

"One of you wouldn't stop thinking about how you all were saving the president, not humanity," he chuckled. "Professor said they were practically screaming it. Now, who's got the plan?"

Scott's cane clacked along the hallway. Suddenly, he was embraced in a hug.

"Storm?" he asked. She sobbed. He hugged her back, his eyes squeezed shut. Somehow, Jean had been able to control it, but when he opened them again, he was still dangerous. He didn't dare open them now to look at Storm's snow white hair and caramel colored skin. Instead, he dwelled on the memories he had of her, helping Jean around the mansion, teaching class.

"I thought you were dead," she finally whispered, holding him at arm's length. She sniffled again. Scott smiled and ran his hands along her face, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. She smiled. She looped her arm around his and led him to his old bedroom. He forced himself to remember where everything was. Being blind wasn't easy.

"I don't know what happened," he said after a time. Storm sat him on the bed. "I went to the lake and suddenly Jean was there. She said she knew how to control it but something was different. This wasn't Jean. And she did. But then—" he cut off. Storm held his chin in her hands. She encouraged him to go on. "I don't really remember everything. Mystique showed up and took me to some cabin in the middle of the woods. She couldn't find my glasses and didn't want to risk getting caught. There are things out there, Storm," he whispered.

"What kind of things?"

"I don't even know. But Stryker wasn't finished with Logan, that's for sure."

"Have you heard about the president? Or Jean?" she asked. She didn't want to be the one to tell him that his lover was dead but she couldn't stand lying to him anymore.

"Yea, I have. Losing her once was hard, but getting her back was harder," he said. "What are you going to do about the president?" he asked. He smiled. "Because the X-Men don't usually sit around doing nothing," he said.

"Yes, but that's all we seem to be worried about now. And apparently Hank heard from some of the kids that they were planning to go to the White House themselves," she said. She chuckled. "I don't know how many times we've told him to stick with things that were important: their homework, responsibility, jobs. Who thought our advice would only apply when it put their lives at risk?" she asked. Scott laughed. He felt ready to tackle something huge. He wanted to be a part of the X-Men again. It was something he knew, and something he loved. The only difference is that this love wouldn't leave him.

Magneto stood at the window of the Oval Office, pondering his moves. The president was their captive, the X-Men had shown no signs of attack and the army was under his control. He couldn't help but feel that something was going to go horribly wrong. He stared at the green lawn. A security guard passed over the spot, not seeming to notice Magneto.

"Sir, our sources have just discovered that anti-mutant rallies are forming outside. They wish to speak to you," someone said behind him. Magneto didn't budge. He watched the guard disappear, leaving footprints in the grass. Each blade had bent under his will, without him even noticing it. Why couldn't he do that with people? Humans and mutants alike? "Sir?"

"I heard you. Spray them off the property. They want to speak to the president, not to me," Magneto said. He turned and stared at the man. Something was different about him. "Where's Pyro?' he asked.

"He's downstairs. Do you want to speak with him?" the mutant asked. Magneto shook his head.

"I'll go down there myself," he said. The mutant nodded. Magneto left the office, feeling cramped and crowded as a hallway lined with security guards stood at attention. Pyro was probably drawing up some kind of negotiation for the president to sign. He was worried about his attraction to the boy. Was he becoming to close? "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer," he said, entering the room with Pyro and the president. The president looked ancient, the worry lines and creases in his face seemed to sink into each other like quicksand.

"That's exactly what I'm doing!" Pyro replied happily. He handed Magneto a copy of the letter of negotiation he was writing. Magneto scanned the document, pleased with his work.

"Very good, very good. Now, what's this about you getting the arms division?" he asked. Pyro chuckled a little.

"I figured it was only fair," he said. Magneto smiled.

"Of course, of course," he said. He signed the paper and passed the pen over to the president.

"Mr. President," he said.

"Which is more worthy to you, that pen or my life?" he asked suddenly. Magneto stared at the ink pen in his hand, and then looked at the president.

"I'm not sure. There are thousands more pens in the world and I never hear them complain about mutants. But then again, there are also thousands more people who do complain about mutants. I say the pen," Magneto said. The president nodded. He stared down at his hands. His molecules buzzed. Magneto slid the pen and the letter over to the president again. The president didn't even look up.

"I think I agree with you. The pen is much quieter and does exactly what you say," he whispered. "But then again, the pen has no mind and cannot be taught and controlled the way people can. It has but one function, to serve. And humans have just one more function than this pen," he said boldly. "To lead." Suddenly, the president disappeared. Pyro held a fireball in his hand, ready to throw and scorch the now invisible man. But Magneto held a hand up.

"Yes, that is true Mr. President, very true. But pens are never corrupt or anything of the sort," he said. "And aren't humans always? Cheating, stealing, and lying just to make their way to the top." He picked the pen up from the table. Suddenly, there was a clack. Two metal cufflinks fell to the floor. A tie clip and another ball point pen followed suit, seeming to appear in mid-air before hitting the floor. "Very cunning, Mr. President. It's amazing how the human mind works isn't it? Had you not dropped those things, I probably would have forgotten all about them!" A belt buckle flew at Magneto. He raised his hand just in time to stop it from hitting his face.

_Mr. President, I need to you to head out of the room. There is a window open upstairs, right in front of the staircase. Go there, _the girl said. The president crawled along the ceiling, unseen, out the door and up the stairs. He realized how heavily guarded the place was. At least ten guards lined the staircase. He slipped out the window. _A wind will pick up. Don't fight it; just drift until the wind stops. _Sure enough, a wind tickled the president and blew him upwards. He watched the famous house he now called home disappear underneath a blanket of cloud.

_How are you doing this? Who are you? _He thought. This was the fifth conversation he had had with the mysterious girl. He wasn't sure how she could hear his thoughts or communicate with him. He wasn't even sure he could trust her. But he had to. There was no other option. He needed her to get away from Magneto, which was exactly what he was doing.

"Kayla, is it working?" Warren asked. He banged on the door of Cerebro. She was taking an awfully long time in there. He banged on the door. Suddenly, it swung open and Kayla emerged. "What took so long?"

"The president was asking all these questions about Leech. He's almost there. I told Hank to keep an eye out for him. Do you think they could drive that far? Magneto will figure something out, won't he?" she asked. Warren shook his head and gently kissed her.

"I don't think so. Hank is smart, he knows the president. Everything will be fine," he assured her. She smiled. But deep inside him, he couldn't help but feel that something would go horribly wrong.

Hank tapped his foot impatiently. Kayla had spoken to him almost an hour ago, saying that the president should be appearing in some nearby bush pretty soon. But no one had appeared. The wind that had picked up had died down. He assumed Storm had stopped. He fought the urge to call the school on his phone. The children had thought ahead and feared that any cell phone contact would be traced or interrupted.

"Where are you, John?" he whispered. He climbed into the car and revved the engine. The silence out here was unbearable. "Kayla," he muttered. He was hoping she was still in Cerebro. He didn't know how much longer he could stay there. Suddenly, there was a crash. He took the keys from the car and slowly approached a bush that had just been disturbed. The president stood up and shook the leaves from his hair. "Mr. President!" Hank said. He stuck out a hand. The president pulled him into a hug.

"Hank, so good to see you! What's going on?" he asked. Hank noticed the worry lines on his face. He had lost a lot of sleep. "Where's that girl I've been talking to on a one-way circuit?" he asked. He winked and pointed to his temple.

"Oh, that was a friend of your son's. We didn't want to tell you too much because we weren't sure what Magneto had going on over there. Come on, I'll explain on the way," he said. They climbed into the car.

Logan sat on the cold ground, unsure if he was dead or alive. A single light hovered somewhere above his head, creating a pool just big enough for him to fit in. The darkness around him seemed to be waiting, ready to creep up and drag him in at any second. He scooted to the edge of the light and bravely stuck a hand out into the dark. He felt something. He tugged. A teenage girl yanked back her elbow, and glared at him.

"Where am I?" he asked. She didn't answer. She stared at him with big, dark eyes. "Hey, do you where I am?" he asked. She shook her head and skipped off into the darkness. "Wait!" he called. No one answered. He looked up. The light coming down blinded him. He sighed. There was no other option. He stood slowly and walked into the darkness. The pool of light went with him. He was the star of this place. He bumped into the girl again. This time she threw her arms around him in a hug. He stepped back with the sudden weight. Slowly, he put his arms around her.

They stayed like this for what felt like forever. He felt something wet seeping into his shirt and assumed she was crying. He got down on one knee and hugged her tighter. She sobbed.

"Why did you leave me Logan?" she whispered. He held her at arm's length.

"What?"

"Why did you leave? We needed your help and you just ran away!" she cried. He let her cry a little longer before pressing on.

"What did you need my help with?"

"Saving the world! We needed you to help save the world, but you left. Don't you remember?" she asked. He winced.

"No, I don't remember. Can you help me remember? What did you want me to remember?" he asked. She nodded slowly. "Good. Now, what were we saving the world from?"

"Terror people and enemies. That's all."

"What kind of terror people?"

"I don't know. Mr. Stryker said that we had to fix people so that they couldn't be hurt by the terror people. That's why he said you were going on a trip for a while," she said. She looked at him, blinking away her tears.

"Stryker said that? You mean terrorists? We were protecting the world from terrorists?" he asked. His mind was racing now. "Who are you again?"

"You don't remember me?" she asked, her lip quivering.

"No, no, of course I remember _you_. I just don't remember your _name_. When I went on my trip, I forgot. I had to meet a whole lot of pretty little girls," he said. He had a feeling he knew this girl, he just couldn't remember how.

"Rose," she said. "Yes, Mr. Stryker said we were protecting the world from terrorists."

"What kind of people did we have to fix, do you remember?" he asked. She nodded.

"People who were special. They had an X in their bodies. You had an X in your body too," she said. She poked him gently on the chest. He wiped the last of her tears from her cheeks and smiled at her.

"Was that all Mr. Stryker told you, Rose?" he asked. He blinked. He loved Rose so much. He couldn't believe he had forgotten her. Suddenly, he couldn't see. The spotlight hovering above him and the little girl had vanished. This was the Rose he remembered from long ago, when he was just a child. He thought of her as she grew up, getting prettier everyday. He blinked furiously, trying to clear his head of the beautiful woman. But the memories persisted. He saw the men he killed and the woman he loved. He loved her even more than Jean. He watched himself being burned alive before finally escaping.

"Are you still there Logan?" someone said.

"Rose?" he called.

"No, silly, Kayla," she replied. Kayla suddenly appeared in front of him,

her tiny figure carrying light on her shoulders.

"Kayla! What are you doing here? Where the hell are we?" he asked. She

laughed.

"Logan, Logan, Logan," she clucked. Her voice faded with every syllable.

She backed away from him, disappearing again into the darkness. "Logan," someone called from somewhere. Logan jerked his arms as she gently touched him. He didn't want to leave whatever world he was just in. He needed to find out more about himself. But as she touched him again, he realized he wasn't going back. He opened his eyes. A girl was standing over him.

"Logan!" they said. He blinked until the last of the fog drifted away. Kayla stood in front of him, the same light hanging on her shoulders. But he realized it wasn't light. It was a happiness he hadn't seen in her before. "Let me get Storm," she said, turning away. He grabbed her wrist.

"No, stay," he croaked. She pulled up a chair. Tubes were giving him oxygen and wires made sure his heartbeat was regular. The machines scared him. They were monsters that made sure his pain wouldn't end and his suffering would be prolonged.

"What's wrong?" she asked slowly. She bit her lip and leaned on the railings. He held her wrist weakly, not holding on tight enough to keep her in place. She was staying willingly; she loved him just like Rose had. A friend that he needed. He breathed a few moments, enjoying the sweet oxygen.

"Just stay with me," he whispered. He closed his eyes again. The room was quiet enough for him to hear the footsteps upstairs and the blood rushing in his ears. He missed Rose so much his heart ached. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when he was in that other world. "How long was I gone?"

"A few days. Everyone was here when it happened, they wouldn't leave! But finally Professor wanted us to take turns. He didn't think you'd recover properly with the whole school breathing down your neck," she said. He tried to laugh but coughed instead. The room grew quiet again. Kayla stood to leave when she thought he had gone back to sleep when the grip on her wrist tightened. "Logan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just don't want to be alone," he said. She smiled.

"Well, at least let me go get the newspaper. I can read you something," she said. He let his fingers slip from her tiny wrist and closed his eyes as she shuffled across the room to retrieve the newspaper. "Let's see, something interesting. How about the stock market?" she laughed.

"Nah," he smiled.

"Top headlines: Magneto's Threat On International Security," she read. As soon as she spoke the words she regretted it. Logan's eyes flew open.

"Why aren't you doing anything about it?" he asked. She looked at him with sympathy. Even though he could be dying he wanted to help.

"We tried. Professor doesn't think we should get involved. We were hoping that when you came back you would help us," she explained. "But then this happened and we've kind of run out of ideas," she said. She felt tears pushing her eyes. "Please don't die."

"Hey, you all are strong enough together. You don't need me for anything." He gently reached to brush the tears from her cheeks.

"Actually, in our plan, we wanted you to help us distract Magneto while we try and free all the other captives he's got. But since this happened, we've got nothing," she said. She held his hand again.

"You don't need Hank or Storm or Professor, Kayla. You are as powerful as all of them put together and with the other kids, you're even stronger. You can do it," he said. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Kitty poked her head in.

"Kayla, they're here," she whispered. "Is he still sleeping?" Logan squeezed her wrist. She looked at him. She scanned his mind. _Don't, if you want my help, we'll do it this way, _he thought. She nodded.

"Yea, he's still asleep. I don't think he'll be out of it for a while," she whispered. He gave her wrist a final squeeze before she got up. She gently kissed his forehead and left the room.

"Mr. President, this is our operator. She's the one who's been speaking to you," Hank said.

"Kayla, sir," she said politely, shaking the president's hand. He smiled and pulled her into a hug. She was a little surprised but she quickly forgot.

"This is the little genius who's been behind everything, huh?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No, sir, my friends really planned it. I was just doing my job," she said modestly. Warren, Kitty, Rogue, Peter, Bobby, and Leech all appeared behind her. Leech ran at his father, throwing himself into his arms.

"Dad!" he squealed. His father laughed.

"Everything worked out just fine. No one followed us and no one saw him go," Hank said to Warren. He nodded.

"This isn't over," he said. "The White House is still under Magneto's control and who knows what kind of things could be coming from this," he said. Everyone nodded. The president sat down on a couch, his head in his hands.

"That's not all of it," he whispered. Everyone turned to look at him. "When I was there, Magneto was drawing up my letter of resignation. I heard him talking to a kid no older than you all named Pyro. They were explaining how they planned on finishing their business. I don't know, maybe I heard wrong," he said.

"No, go on, please," Kayla urged.

"I think he plans on finishing whatever happened on Liberty Island," he finally said. Everyone gasped. Kayla had heard the stories from Victor. She couldn't believe it. Even after his feudal attempt at Liberty Island he was going to try it again. "Pyro is getting the defense department which means he'll have access to all of our weapons and technology."

"And that means he'll have everything he needed plus government authorization to do it," Hank said. A shutter ran through the small group. Kayla felt tears pushing her eyes.

"There has to be more. Something else has to be going on," she said, her voice wavering. "Rogue knows how to use her powers. Last time they saw her, she had used the Cure remember? And they wouldn't risk going after the rest of you, especially now that they know Professor's back," she said more to herself than them. A look of wonder dawned on her face and she sprinted downstairs. Kitty, Rogue, Warren, Peter and Bobby ran after her.

"Kayla! What's going on?" Warren called. She ducked into Cerebro just before the doors closed on Warren. She placed the helmet on her head and found Pyro. Magneto knew what it felt like to have someone shuffle through your brain. She hoped Pyro didn't have the same experience. She felt tears well in her eyes at the amount of information she saw. She dropped her to knees and let the tears fall. She was right. Suddenly Warren started banging on the door. He was yelling and calling for her to open up but she couldn't move. She was so scared.

Nothing had scared her more than what she had just realized. For all they knew, Rogue was still dangerous. They had left their sights on her. They had turned to a new target. Her. She was the one they wanted for Liberty Island, Take 2. She was the one who had to help free the president, only to imprison herself. She was the one who had gotten tied into Warren's heart. She was the one who had been put into a coma by these people only a few weeks ago. She grew angry and upset with herself and the world. And Warren was still pounding on that damn door! She stood in a huff and ran to open it. It slid open. Suddenly, a gun was pressed to her head.

"Kayla! Buddy! Let's not try any funny business now, or Warren will find his way back up to heaven," someone said at the other end of the gun. Pyro had a sickening smile on his face. Warren was lying lifeless in a secret service member's arms. Kayla felt all new anger. She wanted so badly to dismantle the gun and turn it on Pyro. It would be so simple; she had done it a million times with Victor.

"So nice to see you again, Kayla how's life?" he asked her coyly. She peered over his shoulder to see Mystique tiptoeing down the hall. She willed her to turn around, to save herself, tell someone. Mystique heard the message and ducked behind a wall.

"Pretty good. You know, I haven't handled a gun in a while but I guess it is time for some practice," she said. The gun disintegrated in Pyro's hand. He yelped and jumped backwards. One of the service members pulled another gun from his pocket and aimed at Kayla's chest. "Shoot, go ahead," she said. She evaporated and snuck up behind Pyro. The gun she had disintegrated was now pointed at his temple.

"Don't shoot."

"Let Warren go," she hissed. Pyro nodded at the service member. He dropped Warren on the ground and walked to the end of the hall to stand watch. "Now give me a reason I shouldn't blow your brains out," she whispered, her arm squeezing the air from his throat.

"Because to deny me would be a crime," he whispered. "I am the president after all," he laughed. She dropped him. He coughed and held his throat.

"No piece of shit like you would ever, EVER, get away with something like this!" she yelled. She screamed and fired the gun, not really aiming at anything. Tears poured down her face. One of the bullets hit the lights. Everything grew dark. She stopped shooting and willed the lights back on. Warren and Pyro were gone, a trail of blood the only sign of them. She followed it, hoping it would lead somewhere. They couldn't have gotten very far. One of them was injured after all.

She rounded a corner and stared down the barrel of the gun now pointed at her. Mystique held it in her blue fingers this time, Pyro and Warren staggering upstairs behind her.

"Thanks for the help, Mystique!" Pyro called. Kayla felt rage in her every fiber. How could Mystique have betrayed them like this? She had heard the conversation between Professor and her the night Logan came back. Hadn't she changed? Hadn't she fallen in love with him?

"I thought things were different," she said through clenched teeth. Mystique laughed and glanced over her shoulder. Kayla smacked the gun from her hand and willed it to catch fire. It burned, filling the hall with a terrible stench.

"Shh, put that thing out! You need them to get away!" she said.

"Why the hell would I want that?" Kayla said, her eyes a raging storm. Her hair began to blow up around her face in her anger. Mystique could see why everyone marveled at her. She was powerful.

"Because they'll lead you to whatever you want to see. Trust me," she finally whispered. Kayla waved a hand and the blaze on the gun was put out. It floated up into her open hand, the melted metal returning to normal. She aimed it at Mystique.

"How can I do that when no one else does?" she asked. She cocked it. Mystique was quiet. Logan's coughing filled the empty corridor. Kayla glanced over her shoulder, all new tears in her eyes. "Go, he needs you," she whispered. Mystique walked around Kayla and into Logan's room. Kayla wiped her eyes, let out a sob and jogged up the stairs. Everyone was gone.

Kayla shifted gears speeding down the highway. She couldn't fly a plane but she sure could drive a car. She hit herself on the head at the stupidity of getting entangled with Warren. But she thought of his warm kisses and the sweetness of his skin under her lips. She laughed disgracefully at herself.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she asked the wind. She floored it, ignoring the rules of the road. She needed to get to Washington. No prison could hold her and no police could ever stop her. She was too powerful. She drank it in. She needed her strength for the inevitable death she foresaw. Who was going to die? She didn't know.

"Keep me! You don't want Kayla! You want me!" Warren shouted. Magneto laughed.

"My boy, we don't want your girlfriend as a hostage. We want her as a guest!" he replied.

"No, you want her to finish whatever stupid stunt you started. Keep me, use me for whatever, just leave her alone," he yelled. Magneto laughed again.

"You are no use to me boy. Simply a puppet right now. Be patient my boy, patient," Magneto muttered. Warren pulled at the ropes restraining him. He was furious with himself for letting Kayla go. He should have seen it coming. Suddenly, the door burst open. Kayla came in, tears streaked down her face. She held a gun to Magneto.

"Let him go," she said through clenched teeth. She didn't look at Warren. Her voice was barely audible but her presence commanded attention.

"You first," Magneto said. Pyro stepped from the shadows. She had a flashback of the first time she was captured by Pyro.

"No, let him go," she whispered. She turned the gun on herself. "Or I die." She let out a sob. Magneto and Pyro exchanged glances. Magneto waved a hand. "Nice try. Plastic thanks to your friend over there," she nodded at Pyro. Magneto glared. "Plastic bullets worked just as well."

"Idiot!" Magneto shouted. He motioned at Pyro. The zipper on his jacket jumped out as Magneto propelled him closer. Pyro threw a fireball at him. It scorched his cheek.

"I'm in charge now old man," he said. He kicked Magneto in the shin. He dropped down. Kayla willed the ropes restraining Warren away. They disappeared. "Kayla," he said, turning to her.

"Don't move."

"Come on, let's go. We don't have much time," Logan said firmly. He tightened the strap on his suit. They had sewed the holes shut again. He sent his claws through the material. Storm and Scott, with his new glasses, looked at him in amazement. "I don't have much time either but I ain't going out like that. Let's go," he said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Kayla's gone. She's with Magneto at the White House. Mystique told me everything and I won't just sit here and let her die!" he shouted. Scott stood up on the defensive.

"She won't die, what are you talking about?" he asked.

"You won't help, fine. We're going," he said. Mystique slunk into the room behind him. They walked out together, Logan mad at himself and the world. Kayla had stuck with him and this school but they weren't doing anything.

"Can you drive this thing?" Logan asked as she buckled in. Mystique ignored his question and fired up the jets. The plane hovered over the ground, waiting for her to send them up and into the air. Suddenly, she heard Professor.

"Mystique, Storm and Scott want to help," he whispered. She let the plane back down on the ground and opened the door for them. They climbed in, Storm taking over the controls. Then, they were off.

"Kayla, why would you do something so—rash?" Pyro asked. Magneto was being held in the Oval Office, locked away for the time being. She couldn't believe Pyro had been filled with so much ego that he thought he overruled Magneto. Big mistake.

"Nothing is rash to you," she spat. Pyro nodded as if in agreement. "Let Warren out of here," she said. She cocked the gun. Pyro nodded. Warren was escorted out of the room; Kayla glancing at him for what she was sure would be the last time.

"I want to strike a deal with you, Kayla," Pyro said.

"Nothing you could ever say would make me agree to Liberty Island. Nothing!" she screamed. He smiled

"Ah, Kayla, what would make you think I would repeat a stunt like that?" he asked.

"Why else would you need me? I'm much more powerful than Rogue, and she can control her powers now," she said. Pyro nodded. He turned his back to her and looked out the window. Suddenly, he whipped around and shot two bullets at Kayla. She dodged one but the other hit her square in the shoulder. She yelped and forced herself to stand.

"Killing you would be fun but you're right, I do need you for Liberty Island," he said. Kayla shuttered as her blood began to drip onto the carpet. She dropped to her knees and gasped for air. She willed the bullet out of her skin. In a rush of pain, it dropped to the carpet and the wound healed. She stood again. Suddenly, Pyro tackled her. He held the gun to her head as the muffled thumps outside the door became louder. "It looks like your X-Men are here to save you," he whispered. She grinned evilly.

"I don't need their help," she whispered back. She punched Pyro in the face. He flew off her and landed with a _thunk_ against the wall. She jumped on top of him and began pounding his face until it was nothing more than a bloody mess. She willed the door off its hinges. Warren burst into the room and swooped her up into a hug. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she said. He was smothering her in kisses. "I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered. Kayla felt her heart swell. She was alive and so was Warren. Logan was standing behind them but he soon disappeared from sight as the world melted away. All she needed was to be loved, and now she was.


End file.
